Printing devices utilize a number of different types of consumable items. These items include print media, marking agents and rotating components that deteriorate over time as a result of wear and tear. Consumable print media include paper of varying weights and different types of high-value media such as transparencies and glossy photo paper. Consumable marking agents include ink, wax, powder toner, thermal agents, and the like, that are typically housed in some type of cartridge such as a toner cartridge.
Print media and marking agent consumables are consumed with each printed page as part of the printed product. As a result, these consumables require replacement more often than other consumable components. In many printing operations, especially larger ones, keeping track of print media and marking agent supplies to ensure that printing devices can continue to print is an important and costly task. Monitoring inventories of print media and marking agents can require a significant investment in man-hours. In addition, the cost of maintaining a supply of these consumable items often amounts to a considerable percentage of an overall printing budget. Large sums of money can be tied up in consumable printing materials as they sit on the floor waiting to be used. Therefore, overall printing costs can be reduced by using a just-in-time inventory, which reduces inventory costs while eliminating human resources dedicated to inventory control.
Unfortunately, methods of just-in-time inventory management for print media consumables are generally quite human resource intensive. The typical method of managing a print media inventory involves a user or administrator monitoring supplies and placing orders for additional supplies based on an estimation of when current supplies will be depleted. Another method, implemented by software running on a print device or computer, involves a simple counting and subtraction routine. A user enters an “available” amount of print media and a “warning” amount of print media. The warning amount indicates when the user wants to be warned about ordering more print media. The routine counts down from the available amount by subtracting one page for each page printed. When the warning amount is reached, the print device displays a warning telling the user that another supply of print media should be ordered. After ordering and receiving the new supply of print media, the user enters the new available amount of print media, and the process repeats.
There are several disadvantages with these methods of managing a print media inventory. Neither method assists the user in estimating when an order should be placed for more print media. The user engages in a trial and error process to determine when it is best to place an order, trying to avoid the two extremes of running out of print media and having too much available print media. Running out of media can be devastating to a printing operation, while having too much available media in storage increases inventory costs. In addition, both of these methods require considerable user input which increases human resource costs.
Accordingly, the need exists for a way to provide just-in-time inventory management of print media that tracks media supplies and usage and reduces both inventory and human resource costs.